House Republicans released a fiscal blueprint Wednesday morning for the $95 billion party-line funding package GOP leaders hope to pass later this summer.
Budget Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) has scheduled a Thursday morning markup of the measure, which would unlock the reconciliation process to skirt the Senate filibuster and enact a bill that delivers $73 billion for the military and intelligence, $12 billion for farm assistance, plus $10 billion more for election grants to states and other efforts aimed at encouraging strict voter-ID laws.
Even clearing the framework through committee — the first step in an arduous legislative process — is not guaranteed. The panel’s fiscal hawks want offsets to reduce the deficit impact of at least some of the new spending. But that’s unlikely to happen, meaning the package won’t be paid for, which is riling fiscal hawks. So, House GOP leaders are expected to spend the day trying to quell the concerns of Republicans on the budget panel while balancing conflicting demands among the broader conference.
The $73 billion for military and intelligence comes in far below President Donald Trump’s demand for $350 billion in Pentagon funding. Lawmakers are directing some of that to the ongoing war in Iran and another portion to servicemember pay, which DOD officials have warned will run short in August.
If Arrington succeeds in advancing the budget resolution, the House and Senate would both need to adopt the measure in order to embark on a third reconciliation bill this Congress, following enactment of the “big, beautiful bill” a year ago and an immigration enforcement funding package last month.
House GOP leaders want to hold a floor vote on the measure next week before lawmakers leave for a six-week recess. Action on the blueprint would then move to the Senate, which is scheduled to be in session into early August.
Republicans in both chambers then would need to clear the funding package itself during the small window of session days scheduled for the leadup to Election Day.
Mia McCarthy contributed to this report.
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